Wolf hunt opponents to launch second signature drive

Jul. 3, 2013

A gray wolf / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Associated Press

Written by

Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau

LANSING — A group that opposes a gray wolf hunt says it will launch a second ballot petition drive to stop the proposed hunt after its first effort was thwarted by the Legislature.

Keep Michigan Wolves Protected submitted more than 255,000 signatures in March in an effort to overturn a December 2012 state law that allows the hunting and trapping of wolves.

But in May, lawmakers and Gov. Rick Snyder approved a new bill that allows the Michigan Natural Resources Commission to add animals to the list of game species. That action meant Keep Michigan Wolves Protected could still go ahead with a vote on the earlier law, but it would not have the effect of stopping the hunt.

The commission is expected to approve a limited wolf hunt beginning in mid-November when it meets this month.

On Tuesday, Keep Michigan Wolves Protected announced it will launch a second signature drive, this one aimed at the new law.

“This second referendum will preserve the impact of our first referendum that has already been certified for the ballot — ensuring Michigan voters have the right to protect wolves and other wildlife matters,” said Jill Fritz, director of the group.

She said her group won’t be able to collect signatures and get them certified in time to stop the November hunt. Once the proposed repeal of a state law is certified for the ballot, that law is suspended pending the election.

If the new drive is successful, there would be two wolf-related ballot measures on the November 2014 ballot.